88 H. P. STEENSBY. 
As regards climate the western side of Greenland differs considerably 
from those regions in Baffin Land and North America which lie on the same 
parallel of latitude. While the east coast of Baffin Land still has a severe 
Arctic and somewhat continental climate, that of West Greenland must 
more properly be described as a raw and inclement coast climate, which, 
towards the south becomes rather unsettled. A glance at the isothermal 
chart shows that the isotherm curves northwards along the west coast of 
Greenland, and that especially the January [isothermal line forms a very 
sharp curve at the meridian of the west coast. Thus, the January isotherm 
of — 20° runs in North America across Lake Winnipeg and the coast of 
Labrador at about 50° N. lat., while in Greenland it goes over Disco. 
As regards the life of the Eskimo, the important result of these climatic 
conditions is that the winter ice in the West Greenland fjords and bays 
does not remain so long as in the corresponding regions of Baffin Land. 
Only the three northern coast areas near Disco, Umanak, and Upernivik, 
are as a rule ice-bound the greater part of the year, for which reason the 
dog sledge is here the chief means of conveyance. In the course of October 
an ice-covering forms itself over the whole of Umanak Bay, which in 
November can be traversed by means of dog sledges; this ice-covering 
usually remains until June in the following year. Along the southern 
stretch of coast it is only in the interior, remote, parts of the fjords that 
one can hope for a somewhat reliable ice-covering during some months of 
the year, while the layer of ice out between the islands is so variable, and 
has so many spaces of open water, that no use can be made of it. 
Holsteinsborg, therefore, is the southernmost colony where the dog sledge 
is used, and it plays a very inferior role also at the south-western outlying 
stations of the district of Egedesminde, at Godhavn on Disco, and near the 
settlements in the extreme part of the Vaigat!. 
Even the consideration of the conditions pertaining to climate and of 
the ice-formation gives ground for the occurrence of the two nuances in the 
Eskimo culture at the west coast of Greenland: (1) The Arctic form, where 
the dog sledge is used, and where hunting on ice is one of the most 
essential and necessary means of subsistance, and, (2) the Subarctic form 
where the hunters are exclusively dependent on the open sea for their 
livelihood. In the southern districts, therefore, the use of the small hunting- 
kayak has reached its highest degree of perfection — but for travelling the 
large skin-boat (umiak) is always used, — and the settlements are connected 
with the belt of rocky isles and skerries which are to be found along the 
outer coast, while the Arctic West Greenlanders live by preference at the head 
of the indentations, and chiefly use the sledge, both for travelling and as a 
means of shifting their habitation. 
The conditions of communication are, however, only a single factor as 
regards the settlement. What is of main importance is the occurrence, and 
1 Rink I, Vol. 2, р. 146. 
